6 ms·

Sure, but this is off-topic. My question was about why one would want to call WebAssembly functions from Go or PHP.

8lall0 7y ago
You can use wasm as a lingua franca between languages if you have some good libraries or programs that you want to share.
- jedisct1 7y ago
  Like... a shared library? I have a single libmysql.so file installed on my system, and it's used by Python, Ruby, C and PHP. Why should I replace libmysql.so with libmysql.wasm?
  - chownie 7y ago
    Because libmysql.wasm runs on any platform whereas libmysql.so has to be replaced with libmysql.dll on windows.
    - pjmlp 7y ago
      Just like libmysql.dll, that libmysql.wasm will only run on Windows, if there is a Windows application that knows what to do with it.
      - asdkhadsj 7y ago
        Yea, that's generally how code works - no? This is simply an abstraction "everyone" has agreed on. Conceptually no different than if everyone had agreed on Java, or Python, or Brainfuck.
        pjmlp 7y ago
        Exactly, and neither the first not the last at it.
        asdkhadsj 7y ago
        But that's not a bad thing. To me it appears better than previous attempts, I heavily look forward to it. The HN drama around WASM and cries of the days of Java always leave me perplexed. Makes me wish Java didn't suck so bad so these convos could end haha.
        pjmlp 7y ago
        All previous attempts, starting all way the back to UNCOL in 1958? WASM only exists due to political reasons of Mozilla not embracing PNaCL. If Chrome already had the current market share back then, we wouldn't be seeing such adoration, as if no one ever done it before.
        asdkhadsj 7y ago
        And if Java managed to get a hold we'd be asking why this is better than Java (which doesn't exist with these features in this manner). That's the point. It's seemingly good, and available. Why the pushback? I don't get your (or anyones) objections. > If Chrome already had the current market share back then, we wouldn't be seeing such adoration, as if no one ever done it before. I think you misunderstand the adoration. It's not as if this has never been done before. It's that this isn't done now. What else can I use? Nothing. I remember 10 years ago dying for a way to run Python in the browser and having no reasonable options for general web. Even now, what other option do I have? ASM.js is the only thing that comes to mind, which has significant downsides. It feels like the dislike/complaints are pointed in the wrong direction. If you're upset that this isn't Java (not that you are), complain about why Java can't be used right now like WASM can. Complain that Java didn't manage to hold favor 10 years ago.
        pjmlp 7y ago
        I complain about the adoration, like WASM was some kind of gift from God and everyone else that came before never existed. 10 years ago there were ways run Python in the browser. ActiveState used to have such plugin for example. Why do you think there is a language attribute on the <script> tag? And for some strange reason, the same ones that adore WASM, seem to only be aware of Java as bytecode format and nothing else.
  - solidsnack9000 7y ago
    A shared library isn’t really shareable across OSes or platforms. The neat thing about a WASM library is you can load it in your browser, in your native app or in your Python script.
- pjmlp 7y ago
  Just like we used to do with Pascal P-Code interpreters back in the day.

You can use wasm as a lingua franca between languages if you have some good libraries or programs that you want to share.

jedisct1 7y ago
Like... a shared library? I have a single libmysql.so file installed on my system, and it's used by Python, Ruby, C and PHP. Why should I replace libmysql.so with libmysql.wasm?
- chownie 7y ago
  Because libmysql.wasm runs on any platform whereas libmysql.so has to be replaced with libmysql.dll on windows.
  - pjmlp 7y ago
    Just like libmysql.dll, that libmysql.wasm will only run on Windows, if there is a Windows application that knows what to do with it.
    - asdkhadsj 7y ago
      Yea, that's generally how code works - no? This is simply an abstraction "everyone" has agreed on. Conceptually no different than if everyone had agreed on Java, or Python, or Brainfuck.
      - pjmlp 7y ago
        Exactly, and neither the first not the last at it.
        asdkhadsj 7y ago
        But that's not a bad thing. To me it appears better than previous attempts, I heavily look forward to it. The HN drama around WASM and cries of the days of Java always leave me perplexed. Makes me wish Java didn't suck so bad so these convos could end haha.
        pjmlp 7y ago
        All previous attempts, starting all way the back to UNCOL in 1958? WASM only exists due to political reasons of Mozilla not embracing PNaCL. If Chrome already had the current market share back then, we wouldn't be seeing such adoration, as if no one ever done it before.
        asdkhadsj 7y ago
        And if Java managed to get a hold we'd be asking why this is better than Java (which doesn't exist with these features in this manner). That's the point. It's seemingly good, and available. Why the pushback? I don't get your (or anyones) objections. > If Chrome already had the current market share back then, we wouldn't be seeing such adoration, as if no one ever done it before. I think you misunderstand the adoration. It's not as if this has never been done before. It's that this isn't done now. What else can I use? Nothing. I remember 10 years ago dying for a way to run Python in the browser and having no reasonable options for general web. Even now, what other option do I have? ASM.js is the only thing that comes to mind, which has significant downsides. It feels like the dislike/complaints are pointed in the wrong direction. If you're upset that this isn't Java (not that you are), complain about why Java can't be used right now like WASM can. Complain that Java didn't manage to hold favor 10 years ago.
        pjmlp 7y ago
        I complain about the adoration, like WASM was some kind of gift from God and everyone else that came before never existed. 10 years ago there were ways run Python in the browser. ActiveState used to have such plugin for example. Why do you think there is a language attribute on the <script> tag? And for some strange reason, the same ones that adore WASM, seem to only be aware of Java as bytecode format and nothing else.
- solidsnack9000 7y ago
  A shared library isn’t really shareable across OSes or platforms. The neat thing about a WASM library is you can load it in your browser, in your native app or in your Python script.
pjmlp 7y ago
Just like we used to do with Pascal P-Code interpreters back in the day.